STSS Race Day No. 2 at All-Tech: ‘Sunshine Swing’ Storylines, Stars & Sleepers
LAKE CITY, FL – It’s Race Day No. 2!
Tonight marks the second event of the ‘Sunshine Swing’ for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco at All-Tech Raceway.
Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard claimed Night No. 1 and the $4,000 top prize to boot in a dramatic 30-lap feature.
The stakes raise for tonight, as the STSS big-block/small-block Modifieds go for 35 laps and a $5,000 payday.
THE STORYLINES
After a fantastic feature event last night, the stage is set, and anticipation is high for tonight’s main event. Wendell Durrance’s top-notch All-Tech Raceway presented the racers with a phenomenal racing surface for the ‘Sunshine Swing’ opener.
Sprakers, N.Y.’s Stewart Friesen will look to rebound from a crash while running inside the top-five in the last five laps of the opening event.
Erick Rudolph began his ‘Sunshine Swing’ title defense with a strong fourth-place run. The Ransomville, N.Y., native will look to get stronger as the week goes along.
THE STARS
Matt Sheppard began his Florida swing on the right note with his dramatic victory. After a back-and-forth battle with both Billy Pauch Jr. and Michael Maresca, Sheppard came out victorious.
Pauch Jr., a Frenchtown, N.J., native, came up just shy of his first career STSS victory in Florida. A late-race yellow killed the ‘Kid’s Kid’ momentum, causing him to settle for second in the opener.
Maresca’s luck ran out around the halfway mark of the 30-lap affair. The Potsdam, N.Y. native had one of the fastest cars in the pit area, but damage from contact with a lapped car led to Maresca’s demise.
THE SLEEPERS
Milford, Del.’s Jordan Watson raced his way to the Wegner Automotive ‘Hard Charger’ award. Watson started from the 28th position and ended up with a sixth-place finish.
Matt Stangle showed speed all day on Wednesday. The Neshanic Station, N.J., driver won his heat race and started from the third position, but a bad early break sent Stangle’s in the wrong direction.
‘The Doctor,’ Danny Johnson raced his Tim Gibson No. 27J to a seventh-place run on the first night. The Phelps, N.Y., legend will look to find a little bit more speed as the week moves along.
ALSO IN ACTION
The STSS Crate 602 Sportsman will race once again for a 25-lap, $1,500-to-win feature event.
Milford, Pa.’s Joshua Allen picked up the win on the first night, claiming his first career STSS victory.
GATES AND PRICES
For the February 10 event, pit gates open at 3 p.m. and grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6 p.m. with racing following at 7 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $25. Kids 12 & under get in FREE.
Pit Admission is $40 for adults and $15 for Kids (ages 6-12). Children 5 & Under get in FREE.
HOW TO WATCH
The entire ‘Sunshine Swing’ will be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv).
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, FloRacing, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, Design for Vision/Sunglass Central, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, Penske Racing Shocks, Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz, Algonkin Motel, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Belmont’s Garage, Superior Remodeling, Spyder High Performance Filters, Fastline Performance, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, WELD Racing & Wilwood.
STSS SUNSHINE SWING HISTORY: PAST EVENT WINNERS
February 7, 2020 – All-Tech Raceway/Lake City, Fla. – STEWART FRIESEN – Mat Williamson – Matt Sheppard – Larry Wight – Billy Decker
February 7, 2020 – All-Tech Raceway/Lake City, Fla. – STEWART FRIESEN – Mat Williamson – Anthony Perrego – Matt Sheppard – Erick Rudolph
February 8, 2020 – All-Tech Raceway/Lake City, Fla. – ERICK RUDOLPH – Stewart Friesen – Mike Gular – Billy Pauch Jr. – Matt Sheppard
January 28, 2021 – Bubba Raceway Park/Ocala, Fla. – ERICK RUDOLPH – Matt Sheppard – Stewart Friesen – Max McLaughlin – Michael Maresca
January 29, 2021 – Bubba Raceway Park/Ocala, Fla. – STEWART FRIESEN – Michael Maresca – Erick Rudolph – Max McLaughlin – Billy Decker
January 30, 2021 – Bubba Raceway Park/Ocala, Fla. – MIKE GULAR – Erick Rudolph – Billy Decker – Tyler Siri – Matt Sheppard
February 9, 2022 – All-Tech Raceway/Lake City, Fla. – MATT SHEPPARD – Billy Pauch Jr. – Marc Johnson – Erick Rudolph – Larry Wight
Sources: Chris Moore/BD Motorsports Media LLC